Equivalent Exchange
by DarkHonour
Summary: Oneshot. Many years ago, Yuuko received a white-haired counter guardian on a stormy rainy day in Tokyo. What is he there for? Rin X Archer


Honestly, I do think that Auron's Theme from FFX does fit Archer a little, especially with his death in the middle part of the anime or even at the end of the UBW route.

Okay, enough digressing.

I'm here to present another fanfic here. This time I'm doing a slight crossover with XXXHolic.

Disclaimer: fate/stay night belongs to TYPE-MOON and Nasu Kinoko. And XXXHolic belongs to CLAMP.

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**Equivalent Exchange**

It was a stormy day in Tokyo. The rain was pretty heavy, making huge noises as the raindrops smashed head-on to the ground.

At a particular home stuck in between a few skyscrapers, the Dimension Witch lied on her couch. As calm and composed as ever, this was one of the times Watanuki realised that someone was coming.

Yuuko was about to have a very important visitor.

'Do you need anything, Yuuko?' He stopped to ask her.

'Your senses are getting sharper,' she complimented. 'We're having a very important visitor who has just arrived.'

At the moment of her final word, a flash appeared outside the home, showing the arrival of someone else from another dimension.

'Watanuki,' she ordered. 'Please receive the visitor.'

Watanuki sighed, opening up a black umbrella to receive the guest. As he went outside, an aura struck him.

Not that it was otherworldly, which was rather common, but the visitor was not a human.

His eyes looked forward to see a person clad in a red coat, totally drenched. In his arms, he was holding a woman about his age, her hair totally dishevelled. Her arms were limp, with blood dripping and polluting the wet stone floor entrance to Yuuko's house.

She was also clad in red, like the white-haired man holding her.

Watanuki, through his glasses, could see a dark look on the man's visage. No doubt, the person he was holding was someone important to him.

That woman has barely any more life in her. If she isn't saved soon...

Watanuki thought to himself for a moment, sensing the urgency.

'I see you have come to me,' he heard the familiar, calm voice of the Dimension Witch approaching from behind. 'Emiya-kun.'

'Yuuko, that person is not normal...' Watanuki advised but stopped when she gestured him to.

'She's the last one important to me,' he finally spoke. He turned up his head to look at Yuuko.

'What can you give me in return?'

Emiya looked down on the floor, seeing the crimson pollution.

'You have been committed to serve humanity for eternity,' Yuuko broke the silence. 'From the day your life was over.'

'I cannot leave her alone,' he replied bitterly.

'Come in,' she told him with composure before re-entering her house. Watanuki ran over to Emiya to shelter him and the woman from the heavy rain.

It was not long after before Watanuki had dressed up the woman in bandages, as ordered by Yuuko.

The bandages were hardly effective, as they were soaked in her blood soon after.

'Emiya-kun,' she stepped into the hallway, standing before the newly-formed counter-guardian. 'You have not answered my question. What would you give me in return?'

'...'

'This is an interesting penchant,' Yuuko suddenly had a red penchant in her hand. 'I see that she saved your life when you were just a boy.'

Emiya was not amazed. The Dimension Witch was someone who knew her sources of information. In fact, she could even know everything about him, and even the Holy Grail War that occurred years back.

'...'

'You're a noble person, Emiya-kun,' Yuuko continued. 'She married another magus who had you put to death for things you didn't do. And yet you're trying to save her now.'

'I cannot do that,' he blurted out. 'I'll not give up that penchant.'

'Then I'll have a heavier price for you,' she concluded.

The counter-guardian continued to look at her with no fear.

'You will pay with Tohsaka's memories of you,' she stopped for a while. 'And the probability of your re-participation in the 4th Holy Grail War will be reduced greatly.'

She knew of his intent. He was bitter, broken and in anguish. Emiya's other intent was to hope for a chance to be a servant in the 4th Holy Grail War to change his course of history.

'I'll-'

'And another thing,' Yuuko interrupted. 'For such a taxing request, your life as a servant to Tohsaka in the 4th Holy Grail War shall end when she gets close to sensing who you really are.'

'It's okay,' he gave back a firm answer. 'I'll accept your price.'

'It is settled then,' Yuuko answered him. The woman's body began to glow. It began to dematerialise, breaking up into several fragments of glowing light.

'Where will Rin go?'

'She'll return to your world,' Yuuko responded to him. 'Of course, she'll never have memories of you being close together.'

'I understand.'

'Our work is concluded here,' she maintained her solemn expression. 'Return to your world.'

Emiya nodded, before vanishing and melting into the surrondings.

'Why did he want such a huge price?'

Yuuko turned to Watanuki, who had being silently observing the conversation.

'Different people have different values of things or people close to them,' she gave him her answer. 'Watanuki.'

He knew what she was going to respond.

'Bring me some wine please,' she smiled at him suddenly. There was no visitors now so there was not a need to adopt such a cold expression. In fact, her attitude to non-visitors was contrary to what visitors would actually see.

Adult child character.

Watanuki thought to himself as he proceeded to the kitchen to get the wine which would satisfy the Dimension Witch's sudden cravings.

***

Archer had finished preparing the contents of the tea, as ordered by his master. As he looked down at the floor, a sugar packet had fallen from the silver tray.

As he bent down, a small heavy ornament fell from his coat.

His eyes affixing to the ornament, he grabbed it up with one hand. It was the red penchant. The same penchant which Rin had used to save him when he was a boy.

Memories flooded in as he gazed at the ruby object.

'What's taking you?'

He heard his master's voice call out to him, right in front of him as he regained his standing. Rin was definitely not a very impatient person.

'That penchant,' Rin muttered as her eyes look on to the item he was holding in his hand. 'Now where have I seen that?'

'Rin,' he interrupted her. 'The tea is getting cold.'

'I'll be waiting in the hall,' she informed him before walking away.

Stuffing the penchant back into his coat, he was reminded of his purpose. Until he had achieved his goal of killing Emiya Shirou of the past, he'll not make Rin come close to realising his true idenity.

With a short smirk, he carried the tray, and headed off to the hall.

THE END

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A very short one-shot. This was inspired from the special ending where Archer's clothes vanished, leaving behind the penchant.

Not very canonical, but it may lead some to think how important Rin was to Archer, whether it was love or friendship.

As for the OOCness in Emiya, the time leap in between visiting Yuuko and his reappearance in Fuyuki City is a great leap. So his ideals are not fully broken yet to the extent that he becomes Archer completely.

Anyway, review whether it's horrible or dull-plain or wonderful. I won't mind if anyone wants to give a fanfic challenge of an Rin X Archer story.


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